Overcoming Challenges

By Jacquie Simone

Ioanna Vlahos beams as she says how much she loves her job. Three years ago, she hardly ever smiled: She battled severe panic attacks and bipolar disorder, which hindered her ability to find steady employment and support her three children. Then she came to Challenge Industries, a local non-profit that helps people with physical and mental disabilities find employment and become more independent. After several training programs, she was employed as an administrative assistant at Challenge and now helps other people overcome obstacles just like she did.

“Challenge has given me and other people the opportunity to see that we do have skills, that we can be productive and that we are employable,” Vlahos said. “It gave me a life.”

Challenge Industries has been operating in Ithaca since 1968, but this month it will move to a new building to decrease expenses and provide more services to people like Vlahos.

“The new space will allow for expanded services, a more efficient and safe environment for providing services and a lower operating budget,” Emily Parker, Challenge’s director of development, said.

The board of directors had discussed relocation for more than four years and decided last year to move from 402 E. State St. to the South Hill Business Campus. The move was originally planned for December 2008, but the state budget crisis delayed the relocation until fall 2009. The Challenge staff members plan to begin work at the new location in late December.

Challenge offers a variety of services to adults with disabilities in Tompkins County, including helping them find and keep work and live independently. About 800 people participate in Challenge services each year, which are organized by about 100 staff members.

“It’s important for everybody—anybody—to have work, and maybe sometimes especially people with disabilities, because otherwise their quality of life isn’t so great,” Erinn Seward, an employment adviser at Challenge, said. “Everybody needs to have some place that they’re needed, some place to keep busy.”

When people with documented disabilities first come to Challenge, they are usually interviewed to determine their level of experience and ability. Challenge’s clients, as they are called, have a wide range of disabilities, from depression to cerebral palsy. According to Seward, this makes it important to give specific attention to each person and assess his or her individual needs. After the initial evaluation, most people are enrolled in Job Club, where they learn how to develop a résumé and behave in a work environment. Challenge job placers then determine which types of work would be best for the person and help them arrange interviews.

Some clients with particularly large obstacles to employment are placed instead at Challenge’s work floor, where they perform repetitive manual labor and are paid for the amount of tasks they complete. Their assignments include packaging the produce from Challenge’s garden at Finger Lakes Fresh. In the current building, the work floor is near the staff offices. The layout of the new building allows for more designated areas for such tasks, which Seward said will create a better work environment. Additionally, the South Hill location has a loading dock, which will make it easier for people at the work floor to access the trucks they need for their assignments.

“At the new building, everything will have its own space,” Seward said. “Right now, all of us with offices are on the same floor as the work floor; it won’t be that way anymore.”

If Challenge matches clients with an appropriate job in the Ithaca community, employment advisers like Seward meet with them at least once a month to monitor their success. Workers can decide whether they want their employers to know about their involvement with Challenge, which determines if the employment advisers talk with the bosses and visit clients in the workplace. This relationship continues as long as the client wants. Seward said most clients are successful in their jobs, because Challenge offers a strong support network and helps them adapt to the new employment environment. However, she said Challenge also emphasizes independence and personal responsibility.

“It’s a struggle, because you want to see everyone be successful,” Seward said. “The biggest problem, especially with mental health, is that sometimes people just fall off. You could do a lot of work, and it could be disappointing to watch people put a lot of effort in and, because of their illness or disability, not succeed.”

Many of Challenge’s clients work at the dish rooms in the Ithaca College dining halls. The new location on South Hill will enable employment advisers to more closely monitor the employees’ progress. Deb Mohlenhoff, a member of the Ithaca Common Council and the assistant director of community service and leadership development at Ithaca College, has worked with Challenge for years and said she hopes the move will create even stronger bonds between the non-profit and the college.

“The proximity to campus will allow them to do a whole bunch of innovative programs where their clients will actually come to campus and have some direct experience with some of the campus programs and student organizations,” Mohlenhoff said. “That, to me, is a really exciting benefit of them being on South Hill.”

In addition to employment services, Challenge also offers programs focusing on socialization and life skills. The organization hosts a variety of discussion groups and craft sessions, where people can explore new hobbies or learn about current events. These services are offered as part of the Life Options program, which helps people with disabilities form social connections and develop new interests. The Life Options participants go on field trips, perform volunteer work, take independent study and exercise classes and engage in other activities not necessarily related to employment. Seward said these programs should be expanded, since many Challenge clients are senior citizens who are more concerned with living independently than having a job. She said the new building will provide more specific spaces, such as a kitchen where members of the Life Options program can learn to cook.

“Challenge will benefit from having more efficient space that will improve their productivity,” James Brown, president of the United Way of Tompkins County, said. “They’ll be able to serve more people, and they’ll be able to do a better job of serving people. In addition, this will allow them to partner with other agencies and expand existing partnerships. In some ways, it’s going to transform the agency.”

The United Way is one of several state and local sources of funding for Challenge, including the Vocational and Educational Services for Individuals with Disabilities, the Office of Temporary Disability Assistance, Medicaid and Tompkins County Department of Social Security. Since many of these agencies depend on the state and county budgets, Challenge has been trying to cut operational expenses. The move to the South Hill Business Campus and subsequent sale of the State Street building will generate extra revenue.

“The move now is a matter of cost in some ways,” Seward said. “This building is very old, and they’ve been here for a long time, and it’s costly to keep it up. In some ways, it’s not working for the program.”

Challenge employees said the move will benefit both staff members and clients. Vlahos said she thinks the move to a new building will allow the organization to offer more services and help Tompkins County even more than it already does.

“I think Challenge should be in every county,” Vlahos said. “It’s necessary because it puts people who have lost all hope to work and it gives them hope, a sense of pride, a sense of self-respect. It helps the community.”

Below: Ioanna Vlahos discusses how Challenge Industries helped her.

Environmentalists Speak Out Against Gas Drilling

By Jacquie Simone

Ithaca is famous for its natural beauty and progressive politics. Recently, community members have been speaking out against natural gas drilling in Tompkins County, fearing it will negatively affect the environment and possibly change the identity of Ithaca itself.

(Above, L-R: Shaleshock members Ken Zeserson, Lisa
Wright and Jim Mathews oppose drilling and are trying
to spread information about hydrofracking.)

“Because of our environment, we’re not going to have a life if this happens,” said Ken Zeserson, the planning board chair for Ulysses.

Residents have an opportunity to voice their opinions regarding gas drilling, since they are now in the middle of the public comments period for the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation’s Supplemental Generic Environmental Impact Statement. This 809-page document, released Sept. 30, explains the potential effects of hydraulic fracturing, a method in which millions of gallons of water and chemicals are pumped into the soil to release natural gas. The public hearing period, during which community members can submit comments to the DEC about the document, ends Dec. 31, an extension from the original deadline of Nov. 30.

Tompkins County is located on the Marcellus Shale, a geological formation stretching from New York to Tennessee that contains the largest natural gas reserves in the United States. The shale is about one mile underground, which previously meant that energy companies could not access the gas through conventional drilling methods. Last year, however, Gov. David Paterson signed a law allowing the shale to be tapped through two technologies called horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing, or hydrofracking.

Hydrofracking consists of forcing 2 to 9 million gallons of water mixed with sand and chemicals into the shale through a well at high pressure. This pressure fractures, or cracks, the shale and releases the gas trapped within it. About half of the fracking fluid remains in the ground, and the other half comes out of the well and must be disposed of as industrial waste. Each well can be fracked up to ten times.

Gas companies say this is the most efficient way of accessing gas reserves, but environmental and community activists have voiced their concerns about the impact on water supplies and land. The DEC stated that its preliminary tests show that hydrofracking can produce radioactive wastewater. The Ithaca-based group Toxics Targeting has reported 270 instances of contamination in the last 30 years resulting from gas drilling, based on the state’s environmental data.

“They basically explode stone and turn it into gas, and they do it with chemicals,” Zeserson said. ”It comes up later, with toxic materials from the earth that normally occur there and should stay there, like arsenic and radon. It’s a totally different type of drilling.”

In order to drill, energy companies must have property owners sign away their mineral rights through gas leases. Landowners who agree are paid, although the amounts vary from 15 dollars to hundreds of dollars per acre. At this point, over 2,500 gas leases have been signed in Tompkins County.

Zeserson is a member of Shaleshock, a grassroots organization that began in Ithaca in August 2008 to raise awareness and oppose hydrofracking. Shaleshock initially only showed DVDs about drilling and held forums, then expanded to connect with town supervisors. The group currently has an e-mail list of about 120 people and has been focusing on encouraging people to speak out against hydrofracking during the DEC’s public comments period.

“A lot of us are trying to figure out how we comment on this thing intelligently so we can get noticed, the way the DEC comes out with its recommendations and how its work is going to permeate,” said Lisa Wright, who co-founded Shaleshock with Autumn Stoscheck and other community members.

Despite criticisms from Shaleshock and other community members, drilling companies say they consider hydrofracking an efficient, environmentally sound practice. Mark Scheuerman, the manager of government and media relations for the drilling company Fortuna Energy said hydrofracking is an environmentally efficient method because it minimizes the aesthetic impact of drilling. Eight to 12 wells can be made off a single surface pad, which can range from five to 15 acres. He admitted that drilling requires 40 to 50 days of “intense industrial activity,” but after that time there will only be a small well apparatus visible. He also acknowledged that there have been several instances of hydrofracking negatively impacting the environment in other states, but he said New York’s strict regulations will prevent such problems in Tompkins County.

“We think those are isolated incidents that aren’t representative of the entire industry,” Scheureman said of the contaminations of water supplies and other related environmental impacts.

Fortuna currently owns 23,000 natural gas leases in New York and Pennsylvania and has produced 65 to 70 percent of New York’s natural gas since 2002. Sheuerman said the company has had a positive relationship with communities in Pennsylvania where they operate drills. He asserted that natural gas drilling has a positive economic impact on landowners, state and local authorities and local businesses since gas companies pay taxes and service industries often come to drilling communities.

“It’s a terrific economic development opportunity for whatever state or states are able to participate,” Scheuerman said.

Environmental activists disagree with this optimistic view and have expressed concern that drilling companies will not take measures to protect the environment and affected communities. Helen Slottje, an environmental attorney in Tompkins County, criticized the DEC for lacking strict regulations for drilling companies during a Nov. 5 public meeting at the Unitarian Universalist Church in Ithaca.

“There’s very few ‘musts’ and lots and lots of ‘shoulds’ and the like, which sort of leads to the question of, why have a Generic Environmental Impact Statement in the first place if the idea is to have standard rules and procedures for how you’re going to handle these permits, and then you decide you’re not going to have any standard rules or regulations?” Slottje said.

Scheureman said the DEC document does not provide specific enforcement measures because gas companies already must comply with state and federal laws, which regulate wastewater treatment and other areas. He said over a third of Fortuna employees are dedicated to “compliance issues,” such as landowner issues, disposal requirements and well permits.

As the DEC finalizes its regulations for hydrofracking, the gas companies and activists are trying to make their opposing views known. Scheuerman said he thinks the Generic Environmental Impact Statement process is important but has taken too long. Shaleshock and other community members, however, are trying to make the most of the public comments period and will hold a Nov. 19 rally in the Commons at 4:30 p.m., followed by a public hearing at the State Theater.

“It’s really important for people in our region to become educated about what all these issues are and how it could impact them,” Wright said.

Below: Community members gathered at Ithaca's Unitarian Universalist Church Thursday, Nov. 5 to discuss the Department of Environmental Conservation's Supplemental Generic Environmental Impact Statement. By Jacquie Simone, The Ithacourier

Game Designers Get Chance to Score Points At Ithaca Game Jam

by Alex Palombo
(Right: Screenshot of "Paradoxical Irony," one of two games developed during the 24-hour Game Jam)

Junior Corey Jeffers said he designed his best video game his freshman year at Ithaca College. The game was called "Sadiyah Search," and delved into the complex history of the Middle East with rich graphics to match the intense plot. The game - part of the serious gaming genre - took him about three months to complete, and involved everyone on his floor. His friend down the hall did the graphics, his RA composed the synthesizer score, his roommate wrote the story and his floormates recorded the voiceovers.

"I love that game, still to this day," he said.

Jeffers and other gamers got their chance to create their own videogames at the first annual Ithaca Game Jam on Nov. 7. Hosted by the IC Game Developers Club, the event gave graphic designers, sound designers, writers and programmers 24 hours to build their interactive multiplayer dreams from scratch.

Club President Chris Hendrickson said that teams typically divide the rolls of animation, sound and programming among themselves. They start with the concept and goal of the game, and then use technology like Photoshop and 3-D animation software Maya to put together the final product.

"The whole time, you have the project building and building from different people working the whole time as hard as they can on whatever specifics there are," he said. "It's kind of amazing how it all comes together so quickly."

The Jam is based on last year's Global Game Jam, which both Jeffers and junior Ryan Giglio attended in Albany, N.Y. The Jam was hosted simultaneously worldwide, and gave teams 72 hours to create a game on the computer. Both Jeffers and Giglio are officers in the Game Developing Club at IC - Jeffers is the treasurer, Giglio is the vice president.

Hendrickson said that like the Global Game Jam, all the teams will start with the same specifications for the games, but will not end up with the same results. This year, the Ithaca Game Jam quote was "If you follow all the rules, you miss all the fun." Both teams came up with vastly different results, as Hendrickson predicted.

"Everybody is working from one limitation," he said. "But from imagination, it goes in so many different directions."

The two games that came out of the quote were called "Jimmy's Adventure" and "Paradoxical Irony." In the first game, Jimmy is supposed to break the rules that his grandmother gives him, so that he can move from level to level. The second more developed game, "Paradoxical Irony," players must use different keys to break the four basic rules of the game: players cannot walk through walls, touch fire, breath underwater, or live after being shot.

Club advisor Kim Gregson said that both teams did a huge amount of work, but had programming trouble due to the time constraints of the challenge.

"At about 2 a.m., not two hours in, both groups went 'This isn't going to work,' and had to totally reprogram how they were going to do it," she said. "But the idea was still there, and their level concepts were still there, but they realzed what they ahd started with as a basis kept them from jumping or something."

Gregson said that the Jam not only gave aspiring designers the chance to create their dream games, but also introduced designers to each other and incorporated team members outside of the classroom. In addition to participants at Ithaca College, teams called in help from other students - including a Skype to one team member who was studying abroad in Italy.

Junior Giovanni Colantonio, host if ICTV's game-centric show "Game Over," also agrees that gaming and designing games can bring people together.

"I think it's a really interesting idea to have people with the same interests to come together to create art together," he said.

Gregson argues that game design not only creates art, but useful technology to other fields as well. She cites the serious games genre as proof of this, and also extends the scientific developments of game designers to other fields. Citing the motion sensitive Wii-mote and Microsoft's Project Natal, she said that videogame technology has massive potential for other fields, including medicine. And with higher quailty graphics and games, more research into faster tecnhology will be done in all fields to keep up.

"It's bringing those things that you see in science fiction into the house," she said. "So everybody's exposed to it and you start to see it as a normal part of life. To me, that's the biggest boom to technology, research, and funding in the future. If I can use it in my house, I want to see more of it developed."

(Below: Students at Game Jam talk about the rejection of the Gaming Major at the Park School of Communications)

Ithaca Fire Department Receives Funds From Cornell University

by Alex Palombo

As many local fire departments struggle to find funding, the Ithaca Fire Department gets some of their money from an unexpected source: Cornell University.

According to John Gutenberger, the vice president of Governmenta nd Community Relations at Cornell University, the IFD received around $660,000 of a $1.1 million contribution last year from Cornell to the city of Ithaca. Gutenberger said the university has a long history of making contributions to the city for health and safety, going back to the protesting of the 1960s.

"A lot of student unrest was spilling out into the community, so that's how [the contribution] started," he said.

Now that there is less student unrest and public safety threats, the university continues to make a contribution to the city, as what Gutenberger calls a "memorandum of understanding," or a way to acknowledge the difficult job the IFD is taking on.

"It's more of a recognition of life and limb," he said.

Even though both the university and Ithaca College are tax exempt non-profits, they are still covered by the town and city of Ithaca for fire service. Acting Fire Chief Tom Dorman said that while the IFD could always use more funding, the department has an obligation to protect the city and town of Ithaca, whether they pay taxes or not.

"I would be lying if I said we wouldn't like more money from tax exempt places," he said. "But again, it's not a requirement. We have an obligation to protect the whole city, whether they pay taxes or not."

Dorman went on to say that the two colleges are not the only tax exempt places in the town that the IFD protects. The Red Cross, churches, and other nonprofits also pay no taxes but are covered by the department as well.

Carl Sgrecci, the vice president of Finance and Administration at Ithaca College, said the college does not make monetary contributions to the fire department because of the rules keeping the college from spending students' tuition on donations. However, the college has given to the IFD in other ways. In addition to some students volunteering as firefighters and providing some venues for training of firefighters in teh past, the college provided the IFD with land.

"We made the land available where the fire station is here on South Hill," Sgrecci said. We, in essence, gave that to the city to be able to build the fire department, with the proviso that if for any reason they should discontinue using it for the fire station, that it reverts back to us."

Ithaca College junior Rachel Corcoran said that she wishes the college gave back more to the IFD in exchange for their service.

"The fire department in Ithaca protects us from fires and also helps out with other emergencies," she said. "They deserve our support, whether it be through monetary contributions or more volunteer work."

Sgrecci said that the college often gets a bad reputation in the area for not giving back to the community. But he believes that in addition to being the second largest source of employment in the area, the college's contributions to Ithaca are often overlooked.

"I don't feel we need to be defensive about what we do," he said. "We're obviously a major employer, but we have a whole raft of ares where our students and employees are participating in organizations throughout the community."

With Budget Cuts, Ithaca Fire Department Will Not Hire New Fire Chief in 2010

By Jacquie Simone

The middle-aged men lounged in chairs, chatting and watching television on a Saturday afternoon. Suddenly, a series of loud beeps and sirens echoed throughout the common room of the Ithaca Fire Department’s central station. Lt. Rob Covert smiled as he and Chris Kourkoutis rushed to the gleaming red fire engine.

“Looks like we’re going for a ride,” Covert said.

Covert and Kourkoutis are two of the 65 members of the Ithaca Fire Department. Recent economic circumstances will bring several changes to the department in the upcoming year, as they submitted a zero percent to the Ithaca Common Council.

One of the most significant implications of the budget is that the fire chief position, which was vacated when Brian Wilbur retired in August after serving as fire chief for 16 years, will not be filled for 2010. Instead, Deputy Fire Chief J. Thomas Dorman will fulfill the fire chief duties until the budget allows for a new chief.

“It’s not going to be an easy year, but I believe we can live with this budget,” Dorman said. “I don’t think it’s going to affect us drastically. I’m much more concerned about 2011 if things don’t straighten out.”

Dorman said he is prepared to take over the fire chief’s responsibilities for the present time, pointing out that there are currently two deputy fire chiefs when there used to be only one.

The Ithaca Fire Department has four stations throughout the city. Under an optimal budget, the force is composed of firefighters, lieutenants, five assistant chiefs, two deputy chiefs and one fire chief. Dorman said that the decision to leave the fire chief position vacant will prevent the department from laying off firefighters, who are represented by the International Association of Fire Fighters union.

The budget was recently submitted to Mayor Carolyn Peterson and the Common Council. The proposed budget requests $9,845,870, with significant decreases in the amount requested for administrative salaries and programs.

Alderperson Deb Mohlenhoff, whose husband has been an Ithaca firefighter for 20 years, said the members of the Common Council appreciate the fire department’s willingness to limit their costs.

“I really admire the fire department for putting the budget together that they did,” Mohlenhoff said. “This year fiscally is going to be very challenging for all municipalities.”

The Ithaca Fire Department has recently tried to limit energy costs by installing high-efficiency lighting with motion sensors and purchasing a hybrid vehicle. However, the fire engines require large amounts of fuel and maintenance despite the department’s efforts to cut costs.

The proposed budget will decrease the amount of money allocated for training programs. In addition to fire calls, the department offers various services to the community, including responding to car and hazardous material accidents and performing rope and water rescue. Preparing for such diverse situations necessitates large expenditures.

“It takes time and money to train people to do these calls,” Mike O’Halloran, an Ithaca firefighter of 4 years, said.

Despite decreased budgets for training and a vacant fire chief position, most members of the department said they would rather accept these changes than risk firefighter layoffs. Assistant Chief Dave Burbank said the Ithaca Fire Department has shown resilience when previously operating under limited budgets. He said that while the 2010 budget will present challenges, the department will not sacrifice efficiency.

“We look at what resources we have available, and we make it work,” Burbank said.

Ithaca Fire Department Reacts to 2010 Budget Cuts

Cornell Buds blossom despite challenges

By Samuel J. Fanburg

ITHACA, NY— As the wind blows across the Cornell sports practice fields, senior Dan Cho stands still. Watching the football team practice in their 26,000 person capacity stadium, Cho slowly packs up the back of his Jeep Grand Cherokee, with red jerseys, an assortment of Frisbees, and orange practice cones.

“I’ve been playing ultimate Frisbee for about six years now,” he says. “What originally drew me to the sport was the ability to be involved with such a team dynamic. I don’t think a lot of people know how much teamwork plays into Ultimate Frisbee. It really requires a team effort to get the disc from one side of the field to the other.”

Dan Cho is the captain of the Cornell Buds, Cornell’s premier Ultimate Frisbee team. Since 2004, the club has been continually competing at a collegiate level obtaining a certain level of notoriety. Last year the team finished with an impressive 33-5 record placing first place in the Regional final until falling to ninth place in the national tournament. Yet, with all their accolades, one thing that continually plagues their team’s popularity is Cornell’s unwillingness to give out as much as funding as it gives other sports.

“It’s frustrating sometimes,” said Senior Garrett Bernstein. “Many times I feel that the sport that I play is unappreciated by my University which sometimes makes me question why I choose to play, but in the end I think it’s the passion that people have for Frisbee that makes it have such a cult following.”

The under funded club has to deal with these issues in unconventional ways. By not having a coach, the team captain simply doubles as a coach instructing the team on how to best compete. In addition, to receive funding for materials the team turns to pass alumnus for assistance.

“We are lucky we have such a close knit alumni network,” said Cho. “By having them finance our activities the team aspect of our club is that much stronger.”

With three other tournaments this season, the team prepares by having practices everyday, but they are not insomuch a hassle as a time to hangout with friends as Senior Dan Cutler observed, “Because we are so marginalized I think that we are able to find solace in each other, translating into a stronger team dynamic.

Cornell Ultimate Frisbee Team

From Ithaca To India: Students Find Home Through Cricket

By Alex Palombo
(Photo and Video by Alex Palombo)

ITHACA, N.Y. - For Cornell students Kritarth Jain and Manan Suri, cricket is much more than just an extracurricular; it's a way of life.

"It's equivalent to a religion back home," Jain said. "Because cricket is so close to our hearts, it's so nice to play it here."

Both Jain and Suri are members of the Cornell Cricket Club, a sport founded at the college 10 years ago. According to the team's website, the club was founded by students to make the little-known cricket more popular at the college - not easy for a sport most commonly found in the former British Empire. For the club's advisor, professor Mukul Majumdar, the club has a secondary purpose: to introduce students of all different cultures.

"I thought it was important for students from all different cultures to play together," Majumdar said.

Jain and Suri are among the 395 students from India attending Cornell University, according to Director of International Students and Scholars Brendan O'Brien. He said that in addition to helping foreign students iwth immigration and financial issues, he also helps students to settle into life in another country. He said that the cricket club, and those like it, really help students meet others and feel more at home.

"I think those connections are really important," O'Brien said. "It makes this college a vibrant, lively place."

Jain and Suri said they heard about the club through their friends. Since both of them had been playing the game since their childhoods in India - Suri in New Delhi, Jain in Punjab - they decided to join. Today, both are officers of the club, with Jain serving as the team's president and Suri serving as the vice president. Their team is mainly comprised of students from India and Pakistan, with many from the West Indies and some from Britain, Australia, and South Africa. Although the team has no official practice field, they use other school buildings and the quad near Uris Library to play. They also play in more unorthodox places.

"We were playing in the engineering coprs one day," Suri said. "And people were asking us how to play, what we were doing, all of that."

Suri said that the team hoped to get other Ivy League schools interested in starting an Ivy League Tournament, with schools like Princeton, UPenn and Duke in the South League and Cornell, Dartmouth and Brown in the North League. But for North League schools, the weather gets cold quickly and makes it difficult to practice. Students also have to pay for their own equipment and receive little funding from the school due to its club sport status.

Jain agreed, adding that many of the schools in the North League weren't ready to play yet.

"Playing the North League was tough because most of the other schools don't have cricket teams," Jain said. "So the North League kind of stalled."

Beyond the deferred championship, Majumdar said that cricket is not only great exercise, but also a cultural touchstone.

"Some students get homesick, especially with everything going on in India and Pakistan," Majumdar said. "They can find home through cricket."

Both Suri and Jain said that cricket was a great break from taking MCATs and doing electrical and computer engineering work. But both also said the sport provided them a sense of home they couldn't get from another sport.

"When you're on the pitch, you just feel good," Jain said. "I wouldn't feel that way playing baseball, because it's not our thing."

The SufferJets Roll to Victory

By Jacquie Simone

During the day, 37-year-old Sue Dozoretz listens to ambient music as she gently massages customers at Finger Lakes School of Massage. But at night, she transforms into CamArrow and spends her time slamming into opponents as she skates around the rink, egged on by the cheering crowds and the thuds of flesh on the floor.

This is the world of roller derby. Dozoretz is a co-captain of the SufferJets, Ithaca’s all-female team. They finished their home season Saturday night with a 140-101 win against the Derby Debutantes from Greater Toronto. From May through October, the SufferJets won four of their home games and lost only one.

“[Roller derby] must have had some sort of pull,” Dozoretz said. “I think it was the physical nature of the sport and also the theatrical nature of it—the personal, creative expression that every skater is allowed to have.”

Roller derby has been played sporadically since the 1950s, but the most recent incarnation of the sport has a distinct punk aesthetic. Skaters choose often-humorous aliases and are encouraged to personalize their helmets. Roller derby has recently garnered mainstream attention, particularly from the Drew Barrymore film “Whip It,” which opened earlier this month. (Below: Members of the SufferJets, in gray, compete against the Derby Debutantes, in pink, during the Oct. 10 bout at Cass Park.)

At the start of each bout, or match, five players from each team skate onto the circuit track. The defense for each team is composed of three blockers and one pivot, who wears a striped helmet cover. The offense is one jammer per team, who wears a starred helmet cover. Once the referee blows a whistle, the defensive pack starts skating, with the pivots setting the pace. With a second whistle, the jammers start skating. The jammers score points each time they legally pass an opposing blocker or pivot in the pack. Opponents push skaters to prevent each other from passing. Teams have 2-minute “jams” during which they can score points. Bouts consist of 30-minute halves.

“There’s a lot of strategy,” Dozoretz said. “It’s not just rock’em, sock’em. It’s a great sport.”

Dozoretz joined the SufferJets in May 2008 after she read an article about the team in the newspaper. She used to roller skate and said she was interested in the physical and strategic aspects of the sport. After a tryout to make sure she had a basic skill level, she spent a few months practicing before her first bout in August 2008.

“I sat in the locker room and I almost walked out,” Dozortez said, remembering her first bout. “I almost took my skates off and ran out the door. I thought I was going to puke.”

Now, as a co-captain, she often leads the SufferJets’ practices. Her coworkers and 9-year-old son, Max, often come to bouts to cheer her on with the rest of the large fan base.

The SufferJets was created in 2007 when a group of women began commuting to practice with a roller derby team in Auburn. They soon decided to recruit other Ithaca women and start their own team. The SufferJets had their first home bout in May 2008. Since then, they have grown to a team of around 20 women between the ages of 20 and almost 50. They practice about three times a week at Cass Park.

SufferJets founder Kitty Gifford, known as “Charmain Meow” in the rink, said most teams have a grassroots organization.

“Every single person here is putting in their effort to make this happen,” Gifford said. “It’s a different sort of organization than if you just went out and played ball. We have to build the whole structure of it.”

As the SufferJets’ name suggests, roller derby has a strong feminist component because it is a very physical sport dominated by women.

“I think it’s hugely important for women to have an outlet and that kind of experience in their lives,” Dozoretz said. “It’s empowering.”

The team also maintains a commitment to local charities. They donate a portion of their ticket sales to non-profits in Ithaca. Gifford said this civic initiative has increased awareness of the team and helped the local community. Proceeds from Saturday night’s bout were given to Ithaca’s Big Brothers Big Sisters.

With the end of the home season, the SufferJets will move their practices to Beverly J. Martin Elementary School. Due to increased interest in the sport, they plan to create a new Ithaca team, called Bluestockings. Their fans said they are already looking forward to next year’s season.

“It’s fun to see women in a sport,” fan Melanie Prinzing said. “We love to see the girls doing something tough but also really cool.”

This video incorporates interviews with members of Ithaca's all-female roller derby team, the SufferJets, as well as footage from their practice on Oct. 6 and their Oct. 10 bout against the Greater Toronto Derby Debutantes. In the bout, the SufferJets are wearing gray and the Debutantes are wearing pink.

Apple Fest faces new responsibilities and challenges in their 27th year

Apple Fest faces new responsibilities and challenges in their 27^th year

By Samuel J. Fanburg

Ithaca--Almost as recognizable as the first leaf falling or the first cold snap that hits the South Hill this autumn is the Apple Festival that takes place in the Ithaca Commons every year. Filled with apple products, apple drinks, an Iron Chef Competition, a Dunk Tank, and an Apple Pie Contest, the festival has grown from a way to do bring business to the downtown area to a community event that brings people from all walks of life together. This year however, with the slumping economy and the Swine Flu epidemic hitting Western New York, there are added pressures and responsibilities for this year’s Apple Fest.

“I’d be lying”, stated Gary Ferguson, Program Director of the Downtown Ithaca Alliance, “If I told you the business community was not relying on this years Apple Fest for a little boost in their overall sales. Apple Fest has always been a way to jumpstart business for Ithaca stores, and with the slumping economy, stores are looking towards us to help them out.”

Characteristic of the total New York area, the unemployment rate according to the New York State Department of Labor has reached new highs at 9.0%, Ithaca has experienced effects of the economic downturn with several stores including a restaurant closing in the last 6 months. “No wants to be that next store,” said Abdul Razak Sheikh, owner of House of Shalimar. “Over the last 6 months, I think we have all realized how real this economic crisis is. It really hits home when stores that you have seen around here for years start closing.”

The amount of new participants in the festival is ‘overwhelming’ according to Ferguson as 50% more restaurants and stores have requested merchant passes to be involved in this year’s event. This is not only a logistical nightmare on where to put all these vendors, but a health concern as there are 723 cases of the H1N1 (Swine) Flu in the Tompkins County area. As the disease is spread through human-to-human contact, a festival, which consists a large group of people eating food in a small area, could seem problematic.

“We are planning for the worst,” explained Vicki Taylor, Director of Marketing & Events. “In preparation of the event we have acquired hand sanitizer that will be placed at each booth, with masks. And of course we will have an education both that will discuss the realities of the disease with people. There are so many misconceptions.”

Even amid such organizational difficulties, the Ithaca community seems generally excited for what is to be Ithaca’s 27^th Apple Fest, Ithaca College senior Zack Heyman exclaimed, “Of course I’m excited for this years Apple Fest, where else can I find kettle corn?” While Ithaca resident Kate Bush also explained, “I know about swine flu, but I still think I will go. It means a lot to be together as a community, and especially so during difficult economic times.”

Gary Ferguson had a similar outlook on the situation, as he seemed hopeful for a successful Apple Fest, “Since when has the Ithaca community not come together? I don’t anything will stop the community from enjoying this years Apple Fest. Not even rained has stopped them in the past."

Ithaca Restaurants Expand and Open Despite Economy

by Alex Palombo
(Photo at Right: Simeon's Owner Dean Zevros at the bar in his restaurant)

ITHACA, N.Y. - The Economy is spiralling around the state and around the country, and it is more risky than ever to open a restaurant. But Scott Miller, owner of Madeline's and now Wildfire Grill, noticed that Ithaca's food scene has been relatively unaffected.

"If you go to any other small city, you cannot find this number of restaurants," Miller said. "We have a disproportionate number of restaurants for the population."

If anything, the restaurants' vitality and variety have only helped the town attract more hungry customers. Ithaca resident Tanya Reynolds said she loved eating in the Commons for its dozens of options.

"Whatever you're in the mood for, you can find here," Reynolds said. You can have Thai, you can have a bar, you can have Chinese, you can have a sub or a salad. I like the diversity."

The Commons are about to become even more diverse with the opening of Wildfire Grill on South Cayuga Street, where the Lost Dog Cafe was located before closing. Miller said the grill will maintain Lost Dog's popular lounge and live entertainment, while featuring a "sophisticated comfort food" menu. He believes that his restaurant will actually help others in the area by attracting more customers.

"Good restaurants only help good restaurants," he said. "It brings more people downtown."

(Photo at left: The new Wildfire Restaurant dining area, still under renovation)

Reynolds was excited about the economic possibilities of the new and expanding restaurants.

"I think it's fantastic, especially if it gives people the opportunity to hire more local staff and students," she said. "And it encourages people to go out.”

Sammy Chafee, the owner of Sammy's Pizzeria on the Commons, said that the people coming downtown from both Cornell University and Ithaca College are who keep him in business - and the people making it possible for him to expand into a buffet restaurant in the coming months.

"I think because of both schools, we aren't as affected by the economy," Chafee said. "I think we are doing better than we were before.”

Simeon's owner Dean Zevros agreed. He said that most of his business comes from families visiting their student children and taking them out for lunch or dinner, citing Parents' Weekend as a busy time for his newly expanded bistro. He did say, however, that business is not always easy.

"New York State does not make it easy for individuals and small businesses to really grow," Zevros said. "There's a small margin for profit and a lot of taxes.

In addition to the higher taxes and stricter regulation, Chamber of Commerce President Jean McPheeters said that opening restaurants in the area is still difficult because of the lending industry.

"This is a difficult time, because lending hasn't tightened up here, so it's hard to get loans," she said. "There's a higher failure rate for restaurants. I think the big difference here is that there aren't many chains around here. There's a thriving independent restaurant community."

McPheeters also said that most of the Commons' most successful restaurants are on South Aurora Street, where Madeline's and Simeon's are both located. Despite this, Miller seems optimistic about Wildfire's new home on South Cayuga Street.

"There's so much room to grow," he said.
(Below: We asked people around the Commons - including restaurateur Scott Miller - what their favorite restaurants were in Ithaca)

Local Alternative Business Models Find Success Despite Recession

by Jacquie Simone

ITHACA - The conservatively dressed staff and lively lute music at the Mate Factor in the Commons make it apparent that it is not a typical café. Less obvious, however, is that it is one of several local companies that utilize an alternative business model by distributing funds equally.

As many local businesses are struggling to survive in an unstable economy, alternative companies, such as co-ops, have been thriving in Ithaca.

“I think people are looking for a community feel for things, and that’s part of the co-op model,” said Pete Meyers, the coordinator of the Tompkins County Workers’ Center.

A co-operative, or co-op, is an enterprise that is jointly owned by members. These members also participate in the company through democratic means, such as voting on important decisions. This differs from the conventional business model, in which a single owner or board of directors makes all decisions.

GreenStar Co-op has been one of the most prominent local examples of this model since it opened in 1971 as the Ithaca Real Food Co-op. GreenStar currently has over 7,000 members. These members all have an equal say in company decisions and elect a 15-member board every year. This board appoints a general manager, who chooses 20 to 25 people to fill administrative positions. (Below: A sign advertising a meeting for members of the GreenStar Co-op)

In addition to participating in company decisions, members work at either the main GreenStar location at 701 W. Buffalo St. or the smaller GreenStar Oasis in the Dewitt Mall. General members receive a 2 percent discount on purchases, members who work two hours at one of the stores each month receive a 10 percent discount, and “super-workers,” or members who work at least two hours each week, receive a 17.5 percent discount.

Despite the economic crisis last year, Joe Romano, the GreenStar marketing manager, said the company exceeded its projections and experienced 5 to 8 percent growth in the last year. He said he thought that people continued to shop at GreenStar regardless of the economic downturn because traditional corporate structures and greed were partially to blame for the recession.

“Americans continued to allow businesses to make record profits for a tiny handful of individuals who held onto the money, and the country almost went down as a result,” Romano said. “In the cooperative model, you don’t have any one person making the money.”

However, GreenStar has experienced some criticism for the prices of its products. Romano said that the company is committed to paying its employees a living wage and selling fairly traded and local food, which can sometimes make prices slightly higher than competitors with less equitable policies.

“It’s very difficult to run a co-op, because they have to compete,” Meyers, of the Workers’ Center, said. “GreenStar has a hard time competing in some ways because people perceive it as more expensive, and the fact that they pay a living wage doesn’t help that.”

However, Romano says he has observed that people are still devoted to GreenStar because of its contributions to the local economy. GreenStar sells local produce and, through the co-op membership, employs many community members. (Below: The West End GreenStar location)


“I do believe that people realize that to keep the town viable, you have to support your local economy,” Romano said. “I believe that there isn’t a business in town that does that better than we do.”

The Mate Factor is not technically a co-op, but operates on similar business principles. The café is owned and operated by the Twelve Tribes. The approximately 50 members of this community live together and share all of their material goods, including profits from the café. The café has endured economic uncertainties since opening in January 2004, but the dedication of its members and loyal customer base have contributed to its continued success.

“We’re not really that concerned about the economy,” Jonathan Jedd, a Mate Factor manager, said. “We’re pretty secure because of how our business functions. We’re run by volunteers who are willing to strain through hard times and still make it.”

Heather Dube, a junior economics major at Ithaca College, makes an effort to support local businesses like Mate Factor and GreenStar so that they can grow despite the national economic crisis.

“You know that when you give your money to local businesses, you can see the effects of your contribution directly,” Dube said. “When you don’t have a typical management structure, it’s even more evident because the small-end workers receive a lot more for their time and their effort, and it goes back into the community.”

(Below: We talked to GreenStar cashier Pat Sewell about what it's like to be part of a local co-op)

Co-What?

All co-ops, including GreenStar, share a creed called the "Co-op Principles." These seven principles were originally developed in the middle of the 19th century and were endorsed by the International Cooperative Alliance in 1995 as a means of ensuring that members of co-ops maintain democratic control. The principles are as follows:

1. Voluntary and open membership
2. Democratic member control
3. Member economic participation
4. Autonomy and independence
5. Education, training and information
6. Co-operation among co-operatives
7. Concern for community